Shipping case or the like



April 1956 s. E. MAUTNER SHIPPING CASE OR THE LIKE Filed May 5. 1950 INVENTQR SievervEfMaainer A ORNEYS United States Patent SHIPPING CASE OR THE LIKE Steven Etienne Mautner, Port Jervis, N. Y., assignor to Skydyne, Inc., Port Jervis, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,172

4 Claims. (Cl. 217-56) My invention relates to a packingcase or the like, and more particularly to a case which is built up of panels held in metal frame members. Such cases are now known, and may be made to have great mechanical strength, and may be made more or less moisture-proof and air-tight.

It is an object of my invention to p'rovide'an improved case of the character indicated, which is easy to assemble, mechanically strong, and which may be substantially water-tight, air and moisture-proof.

It is another object to provide an improved means for sealing the joint between a case and lid.

Another object is to provide improved frame.mem-. bers to facilitate clamping the lid and case body to each other in a substantially moisture and air-proof manner.

Another object is to provide a frame member for a case, with integral clamp keeper means, and, in general, the object is to provide improved features in a'case of the character indicated.

Briefly stated, the invention includes a case and lid having cooperating frame members at the joint between the case body and the lid. One of the frame members has a panel-receiving channel and a sealing gasket receiving channel, While the other frame member has a panel-receiving channel and a tongue to engage the sealing gasket. One of the frame members preferably has a longitudinally extending clamp keeper for receiving a clamp, which may be carried with the other frame member or with the panel carried thereby, so as to clamp the two frame members, and consequently the lid and the body, to each other, with the frame tongue tightly engaging the gasket. The gasket is preferably mechanically held in its channel by means of inward projections on the legs of the channel so as to bite or diginto the sides of the gasket, which may be of rubber orsimilar material and mechanically hold the gasket in place in the channel. The panel holding channel and the gasket holding channel may be in line with each other, or at substantially right angles to each other, depending upon the particular construction. The frame member having-the tongue and the panel-receiving channel may be formed so that the tongue and channel are in line with each other, or at substantially right angles to each other, depending upon the particular construction being employed. In one form of the invention, the clamp receiving keeper is on the frame member, having a tongue to engage the gasket, while in another form, the clamp engaging keeper is on the frame member, which carries the gasket .receiving channel.

While the invention will be described in connection with a case and a lid, it is to be understood that in certain cases designed to carry heavy instruments and the like, what is normally the lid forms the bottom of the case, and the body of the case lifts off from the bottom or lid so as to expose the heavy contents of the case. However, where the term lid is used'herein, it is to be understood that the term refers to a conventional lid or to the bottom of the case, in which case the body of the case would be in the'nature of a cover. The lid may be either a flat lid, as illustrated, or the lid may have some depth to it, somewhat after the fashion of a 2, and 4. 7

2,743,029 Patented Apr. 24, 1 956 'ice trunk lid, that is, a fiat lid with a depending panel skirt. While the panels may be of the same thickness as the panel-receiving channels of the framemembers, it is preferred, in some cases, to form the panel edges of somewhat lesser thickness so as to fit into the channels, so that the main body of the panel will be of about the. same thickness as the outside thickness of the channel receiving the panel. This makes for a somewhat neater construction and facilitates sealing of thepanels in'the channels. 1

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a case illustrating features of the invention; 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and may be considered as a typical section of any corner except a top corner;

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

'Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but illustrating a modification;

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail, sectional views, illustrating modified forms of frame members; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail view of a panel showing opposite edges reduced in thickness.

In the drawings, the case shown in Fig. 1 is a rectangular case, formed of so-called sandwich panels as 5-6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and a'bottom panel and top panel 7, as shown in Figs. '1, 2, 4, or 5. The side panels are held in vertical frame members 8-8, and the bottom of the case and the side panels are heldin frames 9-9, which may be duplicates of the frame members --8; One or more of the tops of the side panels may be held in improved frame members 10-10, as shown in Figs 1,

2, and 4, while the top panel 7 is preferably held in an improved special frame member 11, as shown in Figs 1,

The frame member 10 is a longitudinally extending metal section, which may be of extruded aluminum or the like, and all of the frame members may be so formed and of that material. The frame member '10 includes a channel 12 for receiving the upper edge of the side panel, such as the side panel 6. The sidepanel 6 may be either squeezed down or otherwise formed somewhat thinner at the edge than the body of the panel, was to fit into the channel 12, while the main body is of about the same thickness as the overall thickness at the outside of the channel 12. The panel'6, as well as all of the other panels, is preferably of sandwich construction, such as plywood, preferably armored on the outside by means of aluminum or other sheets 13-13, as will be under-v stood. The panel 6, as well as all other panels referred to herein, may be held in their respective channels as by means of rivets or the like 14, and may, in addition, he cemented in place by means of suitable cement, which also acts as gasket material for forming a tight joint. Cement or sealing material may be run in the grooves or channels between the ends of the channel legs and the main body of the panels, as shown, for example Eli-14'.

The frame member 10, in addition to the channel 12 for receiving the upper edge of the panel, is providedwith another channel 15, which in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, is in line with the channel 12. This second channel 15 is for receiving a gasket 16, which maybe of rubber or similar material. Now, in order to secure the gasket 16 in place, the channel 15 has projections, preferably longitudinally extending inward integral projec; tions' or ribs 17-17, on the legs and spaced from the bottom of the channel, which projections are designed to extend into or bite or dig into the sides of the gasket 16, so as to mechanically retain the same in the channel.

3 With the projections 17 -17, it is usually unnecessary to employ any form of cement for holding the gasket in place, and yet the latter will be securely held mechanically and when forced down by its cooperating sealing member, a perfectly tight joint is formed.

The frame member 11 of the lid cooperates with the frame member 10, and in the form shown, the section includes a channel 18 for the lid panel 7, which latter may be held in place by means of cement, and may also be held by means of rivets or the like 19. The frame member 11 has a projecting tongue 20, which in the form shown in Fig. 4 is at substantially right angles to the channel 18 and ihe top panel 7. Thus, the tongue 20 is of a size to project into the channel 15 and engage and compress the gasket 16 so as to force the same tightly into engagement with its channel, and also to form a perfectly tightjoint between the tongue and the gasket.

In the form illustrated, the frame member 11 has a clamp receiving keeper in the form of a projection 21 extending longitudinally of the frame member, and which is adapted to receive a hooked clamp member 22, which may be a spring arm pivoted to the hand or toggle lever 23 at 24. The hand or toggle lever 23 may be pivoted at 25 to a clarnp frame 26, which may be secured to the frame member 10, or to the panel carried thereby, or to both, as shown in Fig. 4. Since the keeper projection 21 extends longitudinally preferably the full length of the frame member, the clamp may be placed at any conven-.

ient place along the frame, and, in fact, any number of clamps may be employed, depending upon the degree of acts as a hood to overstand and protect the keeper projection and the keeper. Furthermore, since the keeper 21 is an integral part of the side of the frame, there is nonecessity for a separate keeper to be secured to the frame. For the reasons stated, it is much simpler and cheaper to apply the clasp, since only one clasp part need be secured to the panel, the other clasp part, viz. the keeper projection 21, being integral with the frame itself.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the top is a plain, flat top, but if it is desired to have a top with a depending panel skirt, such .as in the case of a trunk top, for example, the panel channel should not extend at right angles to the tongue 20, but shouldbe arranged as shown in Fig. 6, wherein the channel 18' is lined up with the tongue 20. The keeper projection 21 may be the same as in the other form.

in that form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the front panel 6' has no frame part top as such, but preferably the metal covering 13 extends over the top so as to-protect the sandwich'construction or laminations of the panel. The top frame has a channel 31 for a top panel 7, which latter may be secured in thechann'el, as heretofore described. The frame 30 has a second channel, in the specific form shown in Fig.5 at right angles to the channel 31, for receiving the gasket 33, in all respects similar to the gasket 16. The channel32 has the same longitudinal projections 17- 17 which have been heretofore described. which projections hold the gasket 33 in the channel '32. Thus, the top of the panel 6', whichis in effect a tongue on a frame member, is adapted to force its 'way into the gasket 33 and form a tight seal, not only with the channel 3'2,' but between the panel and the gasket. The framemember '30 in the present instance has a keeper projection 21' corresponding in form and in function to the keeper 21 heretofore described. Thus, a"clam'p may be secured to the panel 6, and theclam'p 'strap may take overt'he keeper projection 21, 'as heretofore described. Instead of having the Chennelsatright angles to'each other'as in Fig.5, thosechan nels may be in line with each other, as shown in Fig. 7, when the desired construction so requires.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an exceedingly simple means for providing a very tight joint between the chest body and the cover. As has been indicated, the cover may, in fact, form the bottom of the case, and the body of the case may be lifted from the cover, which may then be considered as the bottom.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail and preferred forms illustrated, it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a case, a case body and a lide, said case body and lid having cooperating frame members at the joint between said body and lid, one of said frame members comprising a U-shaped channel for receiving a panel and a U-shaped gasket channel for receiving a sealing gasket, the other frame member including a U-shaped channel for receiving a panel member, and a projecting tongue for engaging a sealing gasket held in the gasket channel aforesaid, one of said frame members having a longitudinally extending integral keeper projection extending throughout the length thereof for receiving a clamp member for holding said two frame members in cooperating scaling engagement, said frame member having said keeper projection having a hood portion overstanding and protecting said keeper projection.

2. In a case, a case body and a lid, each of said members having frame members which cooperate with each other at the joint between the case and lid, one of said frame members including a longitudinally extending gasket channel for receiving a gasket, the other of said frame members including a longitudinally extending tongue for fitting in said channel to engage a gasket therein for forming a tight seal between said two frame members, one of said frame members having a longitudinally extending keeper projection extending throughout the length thereof, a clamp member carried with the other of said frame members and engageable with said keeper projection for holding said two frame members in cooperating sealing engagement.

3. In a case, a case body member and a lid member, gasket means-to seal the joint between said members, one of said members having a frame piece with a longitudinally extending keeper projection extending throughout the length of said member, the other of said members having a clamp to engage said keeper projection to hold said body and lid members together, said clamp being of a width less than half the longitudinal length of said keeper projection whereby at least two clamps may be located along'the length of said frame piece and engaged therewith between the ends thereof.

4. In the combination defined in claim 3, said frame piece having a protecting part overstanding said keeper projection to protect said keeper projection and clamp engaged therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 157,399 Holmes Dec. 1, 1874 167,249 Holmes M Aug. 31, 1875 830,182 Skov Sept. 4, 1906 1,272,017 Diamond July 9, 1918 1,403,233 Collins Jan. 10. 19.22 1,720,158 Wheary July 9, 1929 1,859,799 Rix May 24, 1932 2,174,180 Rand Sept. 26, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,671 Great Britain Aug.29, 1912, 505,819 Germany Aug. ,26, 1930 501,288 Germany Dec. 17, 1930 898,768 France July 17, I944 

